Irfan Khan

Director Vishal Bhardwaj's first foray into the world of Shakespeare is nothing short of astounding--Maqbool is one of the finest adaptations of 'Macbeth' ever produced. His interpretation, while faithful to the story, is no slave to it, and he spins an enthrallingly distinct version of the Scottish play. The elderly king here is an Indian mob boss called Abbaji, Macbeth is his underling Maqbool, and Lady Macbeth is Abbaji's wicked mistress Nimmi, who goads Maqbool into supplanting Abbaji and claiming her as the reward. And instead of three witches, there are two comical astrologers.

Adapted by screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala from the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri, director Mira Nair's The Nameksake is populated by well-drawn characters and filled with memorable shots and engaging scenes. But in the larger sense, the film is a provocative look at the two sides of immigration: the adjustments faced by a couple who move here from a distant land, and the struggles of their offspring to reconcile their parents' traditional culture with their own distinctly American outlook.